CHERI C

CHERI C. COPSEY
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
PO BOX 83720
BOISE, IDAHO 83720-0074
(208) 334-0314
IDAHO BAR NO. 5142
Street Address for Express Mail:
472 W WASHINGTON
BOISE ID 83702-5983
Attorney for the Commission Staff
BEFORE THE IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
IN THE MATTER OF THE TARIFF ADVICE ) CASE NO. RUR-T-99-1
SUBMITTED BY RURAL TELEPHONE )
COMPANY INTRODUCING VACATION ) STAFF COMMENTS
SERVICE. )
)
COMES NOW the Staff of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, by and through its
Attorney of record, Cheri C. Copsey, Deputy Attorney General, in response to Order No. 28113 and
submits the following comments.
BACKGROUND
On February 9, 1999, Rural Telephone Company submitted revisions to its Local Tariff
IPUC No. 2 to the Commission to add a vacation service. Currently, Rural does not offer vacation
service. All residential customers presently pay one rate. In its Tariff Advice, Rural proposes to
price vacation service at one half the total monthly network access line rate and to bill any additional
items as a fixed monthly service or surcharge. The service would only be available for residential
customers. A line connection charge would apply to suspension or restoration of service. Rural
requested an effective date of March 12, 1999.
On March 4, 1999, in Order No. 27956, the Commission suspended the operation of this
STAFF COMMENTS -1- AUGUST 27, 1999
Tariff Advice for six (6) months to allow Staff to investigate and analyze the reasonableness of this
proposed tariff. On August 6, 1999, the Commission issued a Notice of Modified Procedure. Order
No. 28113.
STAFF ANALYSIS
Rural’s exchanges are high cost, rural exchanges and telephone service in its exchanges are
highly subsidized by Idaho Universal Service funds (USF). All of its exchanges are located in
sparsely populated and expensive to serve areas. Prairie, Boise River and Atlanta are located in
northern Elmore County, in fairly rugged and mountainous terrain. The Shoup exchange is located
on the Salmon River. The other two exchanges, Tipanuk and Three Creek are also located in rural
areas. On a per line basis, Rural receives more support from the Universal Service Fund (USF) than
all but one other Idaho telephone company. On this same basis, it would probably compare similarly
when it comes to federal support as well. The level of subsidy is a direct indication of the high cost
for providing service in these remote areas.
Rural provides service in some of the more remote areas of the state that are also popular
recreation areas. Rural’s largest exchange, Boise River, covers the Pine and Featherville area along
the South Fork of the Boise River and serves an area that is very popular for recreational property
owners. According to Census data, 80% of the occupied buildings are used as vacation or seasonal
homes. The Shoup exchange is also prime recreational area. The other two exchanges, Tipanuk and
Three Creek, are remote but they are not prime recreational property. They consist more of small
farms or ranches.
Significantly, Boise River, Rural’s largest exchange, contains slightly less than half of
Rural’s customers. Shoup, Prairie and Atlanta each contain slightly less than ten percent (10%) of
the Rural’s customers and these four exchanges combined account for over seventy-five percent
(75%) of Rural’s customers.
On August 20, 1999, the Commission granted petitions for expanded area service (EAS) for
Tipanuk, Boise River and Prairie customers that will significantly impact their rates and Rural’s
revenues. Order No. 28114. Likewise, that decision will cause Rural to increase its USF draw.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
With the high level of vacation homes in these exchanges, Staff believes the subscription
rate for any vacation option would be high enough to have serious impacts on basic service revenues.
STAFF COMMENTS -2- AUGUST 27, 1999
A take-up rate of fifty percent (50%) in these exchanges could reduce Rural’s total revenues from
basic service by more than thirty percent (30%). These revenues would need to be replaced by
revenues from the USF. Staff does not believe the purpose for the USF is to provide lower cost
service to vacation homes owners.
Therefore, Staff recommends this Tariff Advice be denied.
DATED at Boise, Idaho, this day of August 1999.
______________________________
Cheri C. Copsey
Deputy Attorney General
Technical Staff: Wayne Hart
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STAFF COMMENTS -3- AUGUST 27, 1999